What makes a good comment in an Employee Survey (and what doesn’t)

We’ve probably all been guilty of leaving a comment like this in an employee survey:

Things are fine 🙂

I know I have.

I was probably busy. Maybe there’d been back-to-back meetings, or my inbox was overflowing. Whatever the reason, I saw the survey reminder and thought, I’ll just get this done quickly. So I typed something vague, hit submit and moved on.

Looking back, that was a missed opportunity.

Because while I was fine, there's always areas to improve, issues to report back on and ideas to make known.

I could’ve taken the opportunity to share those things. But I didn’t.

And that’s the thing about survey comments. What you say and how you say it, can really make a difference.

So here’s a quick guide to what makes a good comment and what makes a bad one in any employee survey.

‍

5 tips to make survey comments count

1. Take a moment
❌ Rushing through the survey on your phone between meetings.
✅ Taking a quiet minute to reflect before writing your comment.
Why it works: A short pause will always help surface more thoughtful, useful feedback, so give yourself that time.

‍

2. Be specific
❌ “Communication is poor right now.”
✅ “It’s unclear who is responsible for communicating changes in priorities, which leads to confusion across teams.”
Why it works: Pointing out a general area for improvement is good, but being specific is even better, as it gives leaders the detail they need to act.

‍

3. Stay balanced and constructive
❌ “How can we EVER get through this amount of work?!”
✅ “The new project tool has helped with efficiency, but can our team talk about deadlines to manage workloads?”
Why it works: It shows you’re being fair. Recognising what’s working builds trust, while suggesting how issues could be handled shows you care.

‍

4. Consider what’s in your way
❌ “I’m sick of all the meetings 🤬🤬”
✅ “Daily meetings often repeat the same updates and use up time in our calendar. We could save time with a shared update board and fewer check-ins.”
Why it works: Comments that highlight what’s getting in the way of high performance help the team remove barriers and work more effectively toward their goals.

‍

5. Ask if you have the answer (you probably do!)
❌ “The handover process is a mess.”
✅ “Handover is getting confusing and could be improved with a simple checklist.”
Why it works: Don't always defer to leaders or HR coming up with solutions. Those closest to the work often have the answers, so consider if you can give leaders something they can act on.

‍

‍

Comment prompts within your platform

Earlier this year, I pushed for a small change within the Teamgage platform that I knew could have a big impact.

In our new submission page, the comment prompt now adjusts depending on the score an employee gives. A lower score might trigger a question like, “Tell us more about what’s not working?” while a higher score could prompt, “What’s going well here?” or "Add idea or comment".

‍

It’s designed to help people pause and reflect just a little more, so their comments are clearer and more useful.

So regardless of the survey tool used, make sure your people consider:

1. What exactly is the issue or success?
2. What would make it better or keep it going?

That’s often all it takes to spark a meaningful improvement.

‍

Make every comment count

As a leader, you know surveys aren’t just another box to tick.

They’re a powerful opportunity for your people to speak up and help shape the future of your workplace. But that only happens when people feel their voice truly matters.

So encourage your team to take a moment with each survey.

Ask them to be clear and thoughtful in their feedback and remind them to use some of the best practice outlined here.

Trust me, I’ve seen how much more impact surveys can have when leaders inspire people to share real, meaningful feedback.

Good luck!